RDA AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO PROPOSAL MADE BY ‘OFF-THE-SHELF’ COMPANY

RDA AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO PROPOSAL MADE BY ‘OFF-THE-SHELF’ COMPANY

Details have emerged of how the Chairman of the Road Development Authority, had maintained contact and appears to have invited a foreign corporate to Sri Lanka to pursue discussions and to potentially sign a MOU with the government of Sri Lanka. The correspondence seen by the Ceylon Independent includes a courtesy copy of the letter to the Minister – none other than the beleaguered Minister of Highways – Lakshman Kiriella. The Australian company had been incorporated a few weeks earlier and just 17 days after sending in an expression of interest, the RDA Chairman it is revealed responded to the Australian in a positive manner.

 So positive that he invited the Australian corporate to Colombo in order to have further discussions on the subject.

 It appears the RDA Chairman did not give transparency a single glance – bypassing the most basic information.

 Like for instance the fact that this was clearly a corporate that had been registered only a few weeks before, that the corporate would not have had the necessary expertise. A cursory check on our part revealed that the company phone number goes straight into a voice box recording. At the time of checking neither did the company have a website of its own – surprising information in this day and age.

 According to our source who wishes to remain anonymous, “All meetings were held with Minister and Chairman only! We also visited Minister’s residence in Battaramulla. We also spoke to Sarath …………. to be the mediator as he was perceived to be close to the Minister. Some meetings were in the Minister’s office room with his daughter in attendance although subsequently, we had one meeting with Chairman RDA.”